It really hasn’t been a good weekend for Kevin Harvick at Bristol Motor Speedway, made even worse by a multi-car accident that saw Noah Gragson climb over the left-front of the No. 4 Ford Mustang, critically damaging the suspension on the Busch Beer-sponsored entry.
The 46-year-old was extremely vocal about the track conditions in the early laps, and the series’ determination to continue bringing the NASCAR Cup Series to the dirt-covered Bristol Motor Speedway.
“The first thing I can tell you is we did a terrible job prepping the track and full of mud and there was nobody here to pack the track, so we all look like a bunch of bozos coming in to pit because we don’t know how the prep the track,” said Harvick. “Then we don’t get the lucky dog for whatever reason with two cars on pit road, and then we got run over. I don’t know who ran us over at the end.”
Harvick, who had already been lapped by the race’s first caution flag, was finally able to return to the lead lap at the conclusion of the race’s first stage, which the veteran driver said, at that point, both the track and his car were in better condition.
“I had a great car. The racetrack was fine,” Harvick continued. “They just did a terrible job to start with. They’ve done this before, but, obviously, it doesn’t look like it.”
Further being asked if he’ll make an attempt to speak to NASCAR regarding the track’s preparation, Harvick quickly responded with: “You can’t talk to them. Might be [able to], but if I had my choice we wouldn’t be doing this anyway.”
“What’s the point really,” Harvick had to say when asked if dirt racing at Bristol was something salvageable. “I guess the TV ratings will tell that. If the TV ratings are high, it’ll be great.”
“I think it’s ridiculous that we’re doing what we’re doing anyway.”
